The invention generally relates to an optical article, particularly, the invention relates to an optical article having an electrically responsive material as an anti-theft feature and a method for inhibiting theft of the optical article.
Shoplifting is a major problem for retail venues and especially for shopping malls, where it is relatively difficult to keep an eye on each customer while he/she shops or moves around in the store. Relatively small objects, such as CDs and DVDs are easy targets as they can be easily hidden and carried out of the store without getting noticed. Stores, as well as the entertainment industry, incur monetary losses because of such instances. This problem becomes more severe if the CDs or DVDs are stolen from places like offices due to the sensitive nature of the information contained within the article.
Even though close circuit surveillance cameras may be located at such places, theft still occurs. Consumable products sometimes are equipped with theft-deterrent packaging. For example, clothing, CDs, audio tapes, DVDs and other high-value items sometimes are packaged along with tags that set off an alarm if the item is removed from the store without being purchased. These tags are engineered to detect and alert for shoplifting. For example, tags that are commonly used to secure against shoplifting are the Sensormatic® electronic article surveillance (EAS) tags based on acousto-magnetic technology. RFID tags are also employed to trace the items in store shelves and warehouses. Other theft-deterrent technologies currently used for optical discs include special hub caps for DVD packaging that lock down the DVD and prevent it from being removed from the packaging until the DVD is purchased. Similarly, “keepers” that are attached to the outside of the DVD packaging also prevent the opening of the packaging until the DVD is purchased. In some cases, retailers have resorted to storing merchandise in locked glass display cases. In other stores, the DVD cases on the shelves are empty, and the buyer receives the actual disc when the movie is purchased. Many of these approaches are unappealing in that they add an additional inconvenience to the buyer or storeowner or they are not as effective at preventing theft as desired. Optical articles, in particular, pose an additional problem in that they are very easy to remove from their packaging and the sensor/anti-theft tags may be removed easily.